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Title: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on November 26, 2008, 07:04:11 AM Bridal Path is one of those tropical flowers that seems to have wide appeal. Just about everyone seems to like the warm orange/yellow/fuscia colors that made The Path so popular. I've been trying to develop variations and improvements on The Path for several years and Bridal Path is one of these. Its' most outstanding feature is the size of the bloom - much larger than The Path at 10 inches when the nights are warm and the days are long. 2008 was the first year we had many Bridal Paths to offer, but it wasn't all that many actually. We should have more of them in 2009 and think anyone who likes their flowers big will enjoy growing Bridal Path. Bridal Path avoids one of the drawbacks of some large flowers in that it is able to hold the big blooms from horizontal to upright. Rarely do you see one hanging downward where you cannot see it. The bushes we have of Bridal Path tend to be very well branched, mostly upright, and if grown in a bit of shade with plenty of water will be very lush and attractive. That's how we see this one growing here - please let us know how your Bridal Path is doing and don't forget to mention where you live. Thanks a bunch. Still dreamin' hibiscus, Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: LGrove on June 27, 2009, 10:07:43 AM I'm surprised noone has praise for this lovely plant! I wish mine was blooming right now so you could see just how beautiful it is in bloom. The plant is amazing on it's own. It is by far the largest, most lush plant I have. I took the picture this morning, it has plenty of buds, I will try to remember to post a picture of it in bloom. This plant is 4 years old in my garden and it's easily over 4 feet tall, very wide and full. I highly recommend this beautiful and very satisfying variety!
Lisa Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on June 28, 2009, 06:50:04 PM Hi Lisa,
That's a great photo of your splendid Bridal Path plant. Thanks so much for posting it. Now that southern CA is warming up and getting more sun it should bloom soon. I'd love to see a photo of it in bloom! Thanks again, Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on August 05, 2009, 11:53:38 AM The North Texas Version of Brial Path for you to enjoy!
Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on August 05, 2009, 11:57:49 AM OK, one more that makes it all worth while! In the beauty of the night.
John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Nievesgirl on August 05, 2009, 02:54:23 PM Very pretty Jpiper
Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on August 05, 2009, 08:08:36 PM Great photos, John! As I recall your house is near Dallas and the weather has been very hot this summer, right? Your success in growing it and getting blooms this summer makes Bridal Path a potentially good cv for anyone dealing with excessive heat. It's a new cv but I hope a lot of people who have really hot summers will try it out.
Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on August 09, 2009, 10:27:24 AM For those of you who live in hot areas of the country, I live in Dallas,TX, I would like to recommend Bridal Path for full Sun and the ability to continue to produce beautiful flowers consistently with no bud drop due to heat.
Here are a couple more pics at 98-100degs. Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 02, 2009, 02:09:27 PM Now that Texas is finally cooling down to the rest of America..Here is the first Sept. flower biggest and best yet! Enjoy
John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 03, 2009, 12:13:38 PM I know it is only one day later, but look at this!, as a "Newbie" I have grown these by the HVH book, and I am so pleased. Usually I get stupid and kill plants. Not this time.
Enjoy John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on September 05, 2009, 08:24:56 AM John sent me some new Bridal Path photos that deserve to be shared. He has 2 (or is it 4?) Bridal Path plants in a planter outside his north TX home that have been doing well and here are the photos showing the planter. Using multiples of one variety are an excellent way to achieve a full look quickly and of course end up providing a lot more flowers.
Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 06, 2009, 07:16:49 AM Two per planter box, they were 6" plants put in June 1st and now are 2 1/2 feet high.
John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 07, 2009, 11:34:31 AM It is 91 deg in Dallas,TX, and I thought I would post 3 pics to celebrate the "Labor Day" weekend.
Hope you have all enjoyed the 3 day weekend! John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 07, 2009, 11:38:45 AM Only one made it thru the "electronic Highway" here are the other two I think?
Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on September 07, 2009, 12:37:07 PM Hi John, the heat must bring out those extra petaloids. They give Bridal Path an interesting look. How big are these flowers in the heat, measured from edge to edge?
Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 09, 2009, 08:54:16 AM Charlie, Yesterday hte blooms were 7 1/2 inches wide, and today the blooms are 8' wide. Todays flower
John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 11, 2009, 01:29:52 PM As is typical this time of year it is football season, and last night I went over to my friends house for our party and watch the game. It was my tern to supply the food so I made my "world famous Pizza" for the gang.
Only this time I kicked it up a notch, and brought over three 8" Bridal Path's for table decorations. I never did that before and it blew the gang away!! I never thought about doing that before. Sorry I did not take any pictures as there was to much Pizza, Libations, and of course our Bridal Path. Bottom line we won! John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on September 12, 2009, 07:09:09 AM That's my kind of story! The blooms last for such a short time that it often seems a shame to see them come and go unappreciated by more people.
I heard about a couple in Florida who grew a lot of hibiscus. The wife worked as a waitress and she would take blooms in to work and give one to each customer along with the check. Word was her tips were the best in the restaurant! Another guy I knew liked to take blooms along when he did errands. He would drop one with the bank teller, another at the dry cleaners, etc. Made lots of people smile! Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 18, 2009, 11:13:16 AM Charlie, As i look at winter and bringing my 4 Bridal Path in the garage for the winter in November they will probably be over 3' high, they are now 2 3/4' high and they started out as 6' pots June 1st. That is probably because of the aggressive water/fertilization program I have used. How much should I prune them back?
John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on September 20, 2009, 08:27:19 AM Hi John,
The most likely response to pruning is for a new branch to start growing from the node closest to the cut, in other words just below the cut. We hope for and sometimes get other nodes lower down sprouting new branches, too, but the new branch just below the cut is the most common. With that in mind you can imagine the new look of any plant you are about to prune. Almost always it is best to prune lower down on a branch so that when the new growth comes out the plant has a natural, full appearance. If the prune is too high the plant can look odd if the only new growth occurs high up on a tall branch. A lower prune is a harder prune that is also more likely to cause more than one node to branch out which is desirable. For your Bridal Path plants which tend to grow long branches I would definitely recommend a hard prune lower down on each plant. Be sure that some leaves remain after the pruning. If that means not pruning one whole branch then cut all but one branch first and then cut the remaining one later after new growth is growing on the branches first pruned. Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: nina on September 21, 2009, 10:13:45 PM Hi, John,
You have a beautiful garden, and those Bridal Paths are extraordinary. It was a good work! I hope you will manage to keep them over the winter and to surprise your guests next year, too. Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on September 25, 2009, 10:27:23 AM Nina, I certainly will keep them over winter, as this is my first year growing Hibs. The winter plan is all set, and I am going to expand next year with several other types.
Thank you John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on October 07, 2009, 09:06:32 AM Charlie, I am now getting a good two days on each bloom, Size is still large. Temps the last two weeks have ranged between 56deg and 75 deg. Usually 2-3 blooms at a time. I have lost a lot of leafs but they tend to be the older ones.
Next week I plan on pruning them back abour 2/3 and repotting them for winter. I will keep them outside till it gets in the 40's. wish me luck on the pruning thing! Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on October 21, 2009, 11:39:16 AM I lied, I did not prune them back yet. Too many beautiful flowers!. Trying for this weekend to prune, and repot, and they do need it!
John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on October 27, 2009, 07:59:08 AM OK everybody I finally did it I pruned the 3+ft tall Bridal Path. The first time I have ever pruned anything. Here are the pics, and don't be to hard on me.
John I also pruned Allure, and pinched my Magic Moments Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on October 28, 2009, 05:26:10 AM The pruned ones look good, John. You left plenty of leaf which can be important to them during this period before they start growing back. You should get lots of new growth for next summer! Are you going to prune the Magic Moments, too? If you are concerned you could do it 1 branch at a time. MM is not one to branch out easily, some judicious pruning will give you fuller bushes for next year.
Nice job all around! Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on October 29, 2009, 02:02:46 PM Charlie, did you ever think about doing something with BP and M/M?
John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on October 30, 2009, 03:09:54 PM Hey John. I lost you - do something as in...?
Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on October 30, 2009, 03:42:14 PM Charlie. Pridal Path X Magic Moments?
John Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: Charlie on October 31, 2009, 04:58:39 AM Bridal Path should make a good parent, but I have not used it so far. I do have crosses with Magic Moments as the pollen parent which I am looking forward to seeing when they bloom. I like the idea of crossing these 2 large flowered varieties. I wonder if anyone else has used Bridal Path as pod parent - not sure if it sets seeds or not yet.
Charlie Title: Re: Bridal Path Post by: jpiper82 on July 21, 2013, 09:50:23 AM Charlie, Just wondering wether you pursued a cross between M/M and Bridal Path?
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